1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to shipping containers in which a plurality of individual packing units may be easily transported and more particularly to containers that may be folded when not in use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shipping containers have been utilized in which individually packed units are transported within the shipping container. An example of such a container is U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,477. Therein, a outer container for packing units is disclosed in which the outer container comprises a substantially rectangular sheet of relatively rigid material. The sheet is provided with two parallel folding lines which are placed at a distance from one another and are parallel with opposite parallel edges of the sheet. The provision of two parallel folding lines effectively divides the sheet into three sections, i.e., a base section and two lateral sections. The lateral sections are set up by folding the sections about the parallel folding lines so as to form a U-shaped container. Individual packing units are then tightly packed onto the base area and held between the lateral sections of the container. Notches are provided in edge portions of the lateral sections so as to receive one or more cords or bands which are arranged around the lateral sections so as to maintain the lateral sections in the folded position and to tightly secure the individual packing units within the outer container.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,477 fails to realize an arrangement by which a plurality of packing units can be conveniently and neatly packaged for shipment and removal from the shipping container and which permits the shipping container itself to be neatly stackable along with a plurality of other containers when filled with a plurality of packing units. Additionally, the patent fails to provide for a shipping container which is provided with the physical configuration which assists in the stacking or nesting of the individual containers in both the folded and unfolded configurations.
An additional example of a container is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,595. Therein, a tape cartridge holder is provided which has a floor member with opposing and hingedly connected flap-type side walls. The side walls are connected, through the hinge, to the floor portion and extend across the floor and upwardly to terminal edge portions. Cut-outs are provided along an upper section of each of the sidewalls so as to receive a resilient arrangement which is provided to connect the flap walls and to hold them together in an assembled and upright manner. The container also includes opposite partial end walls of a truncated, triangular shape. The opposite edges of the end walls further define the container area when in a raised position. When assembled, the container provides side walls which slope inwardly toward the area defined by the raised side and end wall panels. Accordingly, a base area is provided which is larger than the open area defined and bounded by the upraised side and end portions. This particular arrangement permits the elastic member, holding the side walls together, to be expanded so that the individual units packed therein can move relative to one another so as to more clearly expose each of the units for view when packed in the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,561,595 therefore fails to contemplate the advantages of the present invention by lack of disclosure relating to the manner in which the cartridge holders could be configured so as to be nested or stacked with other cartridge holders when in an empty configuration. The patent is silent with regard to any advantages which could be obtained from its particular configuration with regard to the storage of a plurality of the holders when filled with various numbers of tape cartridges.
Another example of such a holder or container is U.S. Pat. No. 466,384. Therein an account book holder is provided in which a bottom section and two side walls which can be folded up from the bottom and secured in place by a cord member. A single end wall section is provided which is connected to each of the side wall sections. The end wall section is hinged to the bottom section so as to close one end of the container. However, a fastening arrangement in the form of a cord is connected to both side wall sections so that the end wall section may be displaced from its fully upright position. In the alternative, the cord member would permit the end wall section to be retained in a substantially perpendicular position with respect to the bottom wall section while permitting the side wall sections to be moved outwardly, i.e., to a position defining an oblique angle with respect to the bottom wall section. This arrangement permits the side walls to be displaced from their substantially perpendicular position so as to allow easy access to the contents of the holder and permit the contents of the holder to move relative to one another.